Relapse
by Zoey Nightrod
Summary: There was a change of fate that was never expected. Instead of losing his life and crown, Suoh Mikoto was given a second chance. Even though the destruction of the Red King has been stopped, problems have not. Who is the mysterious person who saved the life of HOMRA's beloved Red King? And what is haunting the members of the Red and Blue clans? (Alternate ending to K.)
1. Revival of the Flame

Chapter One- Revival of the Flame

As the Red King's Sword of Damocles came crashing down, Reisi lunged forward with his sword in hand. He wasn't going to allow things to end like this, not when he could change it. As the broken sword reached a point to where it could no longer hold itself up and Suoh Mikoto accepted his fate, a bright light exploded from all of the sides around them. Things seemed to slow down, and Reisi was thrown to the side, away from the Red King. Suoh himself glanced up to see that his Sword of Damocles had halted in its downfall. Pieces fell off of it and Suoh could feel its weight. Suddenly, it slowly rose back up to where it had been before. Reisi groaned as he stood back up and then stopped to stare at the sword. Its owner collapsed to his knees and closed his eyes. It was obvious that the man was struggling to stay conscious. The Blue King's eyes wandered over to see his own sword suspended in midair. Both were glowing brightly with their own respective colors. The Captain of Scepter 4 didn't understand what was happening, and neither did the leader of HOMRA.

The redhead opened his eyes with a great effort. They were a dull yellow, as all of the wariness caught up to him.

"What is happening… Reisi?" he asked, breathing heavily. The other man shook his head.

"I have no idea, Suoh." came the response. "I was sure that-" There was a pause, as if the speaker didn't want to continue for fear of offending the listener. Suoh smiled slightly.

"It's fine. You can say it."

Reisi shook his head again. "I just don't understand. I was sure that you were going to die. Your sword was almost to the ground." Suoh laughed but it was empty. Then he coughed and took a deep breath.

"Even if that thing doesn't fall, I have a feeling I'm still done for." There was more coughing, then a groan. His chest heaved as he drew a shaky breath. "Everything is catching up to me. I won't last much longer in this condition." He stood up, holding his side. The yellow-eyed gaze watched the sword above him. He looked defeated, and only a step from death.

"You better take it easy." Reisi limped over to him and they both sat down. There was a creak above them from the red-cloaked sword. It teetered threateningly above them and the pair could tell that it leaned somewhat to the side.

"I better tell you this before my time is up." started the Red King. His listener raised a hand to halt his speech. Suoh blinked then let out a sigh. "You're not gonna let me say this, are you?" He chuckled, fighting off the urge to cough. Reisi stretched his leg and let out a hiss when it reached its length. The man gritted his teeth and started to press his hand along his leg to check for any breaks while the other stifled a cough. Once the check was finished, there was a sound as Reisi let out the breath he had been holding.

"You're going to have to wrap that when you get back." Advised Suoh, laughter in his eyes. A 'hmph' was his only reply. Reisi, jaw still clenched, wrapped both hands around his knees and squeezed. He growled as the pain doubled.

"It's only my knee." He said through gritted teeth. The hold lessened. Breathing with relief, Reisi relaxed his jaw. "I must have twisted it when I was thrown." Suoh shrugged and laid down on his side. After a moment's silence, he voiced the question that had his brows furrowed in thought.

"Did you cause that, Reisi?" The accused narrowed his eyes. The redhead's back was turned to him and his right arm was propped underneath his head.

"I did not."

Silence ensued once again as both men replayed the moment in their minds. Neither came up with an explanation. Suoh rolled onto his back and folded both arms behind his head. The lids of his eyes closed in exhaustion while he sighed. Reisi's voice jerked him from his light sleep a short while later.

"I have no explanation for what occurred earlier. The only thing I can say is that you are very lucky. Lady Luck was surely looking down upon you today." There was a small amount of regret in his voice. "Though saving you may not have been her smartest decision." He added glumly. Suoh kept his eyes closed. The same thought had arose in his mind as well.

"You may finish the job if you like."

Reisi jerked in shock. "Do you really think I would accept that offer?" There was a rustle of clothing as Suoh shrugged.

"Doesn't matter to me." He opened his eyes and they locked onto the stunned face in front of them. "But whatever you chose, chose quickly." Reisi frowned.

"I don't need you to remind me of that." Came the scoffing reply. "I've already made up my mind."

Suoh stretched. "Good." They were both quiet.

"You know, we should get going." Reisi nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we should." Reluctantly, he stood up and winced when pressure was put on his injured knee. Suoh followed suit and stepped up to Reisi.

"Need help?" he asked with a smile. Reisi waved him off, took a few steps, and then nearly fell. Suoh caught him in time and slung the wounded man's arm over his shoulder.

"You're hopeless, you know that?" With a grunt, he shifted his body to accustom the extra weight. Reisi let out a breath.

"I am, aren't I?" He pushed up his glasses with his free hand. With the Red King supporting him, Reisi and Suoh started to make their way to the location of their factions.

They reached the common area of the school grounds ten minutes later. Both groups were armed and yelling insults back and forth, each blaming the other for the destruction that lay around them. Once they noticed their leaders, the members scattered and stood in two opposing sides; Reds on the left and Blues on the right. Seri and Izumo exchanged glances once they noticed the state that their kings were in. The duo stopped a short distance from the crowd. Silence blanketed the square. Izumo was the first to step forward and speak.

"There's something you should see, Suoh." The Red King glanced up and removed Reisi's arm from his shoulders. Izumo gave a fleeting look to the Scepter 4 lieutenant behind him and she raised her hand. The red and blue masses parted at the signal. In the wake of the groups stood a girl.

She had brown hair that hung to the middle of her shoulder blades. On her figure was a school uniform, the dull colors seeming to stand out against all the red and blue. Her eyes were a warm chocolate color that nearly matched her hair. Izumo turned to her and she gradually made her way to stand even with him. Nervously, her eyes flickered all around her surroundings. Similar to a snail, her feet inched forward at a slight push from the bartender. Just then, her wandering eyes focused on a spot above the ginger's head. Her mouth opened in a small 'o' of wonder.

"Is that your broken sword, mister?" came the small voice, as she pointed upwards. Suoh's gaze followed hers to the spot she stared at. When he removed his eyes from the invisible sword, he was almost surprised to see that she now stared at him.

"You can see that?" The question made the girl blink. She nodded, her hair swinging forwards then back. Reisi, who only stood a foot away, murmured under his breath at Suoh, "There's no way she can see the Sword of Damocles. Not even other kings can if we don't reveal it." Suoh waved him off and whispered back, "Let's just check, all right?" The girl's head tilted as her chocolate brown eyes locked on the symbol.

"Mister, do you want me to fix it?" There was a jerk from Reisi as the man tried to hide his astonishment. Even Suoh's eyes widened. Murmurs traveled the ranks of the clansmen.

"Can she really do that?"

"Is this a joke?"

"What if she's a king too?"

Seri raised her arm and they quieted. Suoh thought carefully before speaking his next words. If what she proposed was truly within her power, he wasn't going to try to scare her off. She could turn out to be a very strong player in the game of the kings.

"You can do that?" he questioned carefully, not wanting to seem too interested. The girl nodded vigorously. "All right." Suoh's eyes seemed to center on another place and the Red King's Sword of Damocles appeared. His eyes refocused when he blinked tiredly. Reisi frowned with disapproval.

"Are you sure about this, Suoh?" he said in an undertone. "She could be fooling you." The Red King ignored him. The young woman stepped forward and closed her eyes. A breeze ruffled her hair around her face and everything was still. Then, alarmingly, the sword groaned and leaned like it had previously. Faster than thought possible, it started to fall. Yells came from the ranks of the clansmen and over their noise the girl spoke to Suoh.

"I need you to use your power." Suoh acted quickly and snapped his fingers. A red flame appeared between his thumb and forefinger. Worriedly, the Red King glanced up. The sword was only a few feet above them. When it reached the height of being only a foot above their heads, the flame ignited with power and swirled around him. The sword heated up and grew red with the flame. The distance between the sword point and Suoh's head lessened to half a foot. Just as it was about to crush them, the girl's eyes flew open and in a flash she pressed her hand to his chest. A bright light exploded from between her fingers. The sword halted in midair and rose back up. The broken pieces flew to the partial sword and fitted into the place from which they had separated. It glowed fiercely one last time as the sword repaired itself. Once the process was complete, the blaze faded along with the fire surrounding Suoh. The crowd stared then cheered. The girl stepped away and smiled.

"I told you so, mister. Now it's fixed!" Suoh stared at her.

"Yeah," was the only word he could think of to say. Reisi limped up to Suoh and glared at him.

"Warn me next time before you ever do something like that again." The other man laughed.

"Who says there's going to be a next time?" The blue-haired man muttered under his breath a few unfriendly names. The healer laughed alongside Suoh. Suddenly, her balance wavered. Both men stopped what they were doing.

"Are you all right?" The girl gave an exhausted smile.

"Yeah. I'll be okay in… a little...bit…" The voice trailed off and her eyes fluttered shut. Her body began to fall to the ground. Before it could hit the pavement, Suoh caught her. The Red King held the small figure against his chest and Reisi knelt down to her. He pressed two fingers against her neck.

"Her heartbeat is slower than it should be, as is her breathing." He removed his fingers. "It must be because of the process she just performed to heal your sword. We'll have to keep a close eye on her." Suoh watched the young girl and spoke quietly, almost to himself.

"She saved my life, Reisi." The Blue King closed his eyes.

"I guess when you spoke about Lady Luck earlier, you didn't mean her, huh?" There was a short chuckle. The Scepter 4 Captain was silent. Izumo and Seri jogged up to the trio.

"Captain!" The man opened his eyes and looked up at the voice of his lieutenant.

"Yes, Awashima?" he asked, slowly rising from his knees. The blonde woman caught her breath.

"We were unsure about what you wanted us to do." The Captain sighed.

"I'll be there in a moment." "Yes, sir." The sole female soldier left. Izumo took a step back to give his leader room as he stood up with the girl still in his arms. The bartender shifted his gaze to the schoolgirl.

"So that's her." Reisi confirmed the statement with a nod, though it wasn't a question.

"Yes. That's our little Lady Luck." Izumo looked confused and Suoh gave him a glance that said he'd explain later. Reisi directed the next question at the HOMRA leader.

"What do you think we should do with her?" Suoh exhaled and turned to the Captain.

"I'll take her back to HOMRA." At first, there was opposition from the blue-haired man, but it faded when he saw the look in Suoh's eyes. Instead, he gave a nod. Izumo struggled to hide a grin.

"I suppose this means we go our own separate ways now." Reisi said. Suoh allowed himself a try at humor.

"You almost sound sad, Reisi. Don't tell me you're getting sentimental?" Reisi rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the smile that showed.

"Don't push your luck, Suoh." The yellow eyes sparkled.

"Why not? I've got luck right in the palms of my hands."

The three men headed to the group. Reisi walked away and joined the Blues, giving a final farewell wave to Suoh. Suoh nodded, and the Blues left. The Reds, on the other hand, crowded around their idol to see the girl. The man gave them a few moments to see her while he talked to Izumo, and then stepped back to allow Izumo to shout directions. The majority of HOMRA dispersed, leaving only the five main members; Rikio, Misaki, Anna, Izumo, and Suoh.

"Are we heading back to HOMRA?" The words came from all sides at Izumo as the skateboarder rode in circles around them.

"Yes, Yata. We are heading back."

"And the girl? Is she coming too?" he insisted. Izumo sighed.

"Yes, Yata. And the girl." Satisfied, Misaki stopped pestering the blond, though he didn't stop riding in circles. Izumo glared at him and Suoh turned to start their walk back. Misaki rode ahead, jumping and doing tricks the whole time. Twenty minutes later, they reached the street the bar was located on. Rikio jogged ahead, yelling at Misaki to slow down. Anna tugged on Suoh's sleeve and he nodded. She chased after the pair, holding the precious red jewels to her chest. Izumo and Suoh lagged behind.

"What exactly do you plan on doing with the girl?" Izumo addressed his companion, stressing the word 'exactly'. They reached the door of the building and could hear Anna and the other two inside. The redhead shook his head.

"I don't know. All I do know is that the school's one place she can't stay." The golden eyes narrowed.

Izumo eyed him warily.

"Why can't she stay at the school?"

There was a pause and laughter could be heard from inside. Suoh shifted the girl's weight in his arms. "There was something there. At the school."

"What kind of something?"

"Something dark and-" The voice cut off as the speaker drew a quick breath. "It shouldn't have been there."

Izumo leaned against the brick wall and crossed his arms. "And you want to protect her from it?" The King let out a frustrated sigh.

"Yes. No. " He managed to get out. "She saved my life and the least I can do is protect hers until we find out what the damn thing was." Izumo shrugged as he pushed off the wall with his foot.

"That's good enough of an explanation for me." The owner of the bar placed his hand on the handle and started to twist it.

"Izumo, thank you." The man blinked, and then shrugged again with an embarrassed expression.

"Just doing my job." And with that, the door opened. The two stepped inside and closed the door. A figure watched from the shadows, and once the door clicked shut, walked away; leaving nothing behind but a metal dog tag on a black chain.

**Author's Note: I've been wanting to post this for a while. Currently, I am on the third chapter and will post the second if I get ten reviews! So don't forget to drop a review if you want to read more!**


	2. Heated Debate

**Author's Note: Due to a dear reviewer asking for the next chapter, I decided to post it even though ten reviews haven't been reached. For those who are reading, please enjoy and drop a review. Your suggestions and comments really help us authors continue writing! Also, I apologize if the characters seem OOC. I try my best to fit their personalities into the storyline. Have fun reading and I hope you laugh during this chapter!**

Chapter Two- Heated Debate

Suoh followed Izumo into his bar. The bartender walked to his post behind the par and began to check over the glasses. Misaki and Rikio were having a discussion about different types of boards while Anna was watching the crimson jewels spin around on the countertop. Suoh gazed around the room then let his eyes settle on the couch. He walked forward and gently laid the girl down on the cushions. She was still unconscious with no signs of waking anytime soon.

"Izumo." At the mentioning of his name, Izumo looked up. The redhead had his back turned to him and the blond could see that he was leaving.

"I'm entrusting the girl to you. Don't let anything happen to her. If she so much as coughs, I want to know about it, understood?" The sunglasses that usually covered the bartender's face were lowered slightly so that he could look over them.

"Got it."

Suoh glanced back over his shoulder. "Good." Once finished speaking, he left the bar; hands in his pockets and gaze looking straight ahead. Misaki and Rikio stared after him.

"Hey, Kusanagi?" Groaning, the sunglasses were slid back up and Izumo glared at the boy.

"What do you want?" Misaki spun the board in his hands that he had picked up and lowered his head to avoid making eye contact.

"I just wanted to know if you knew what Mr. Mikoto was angry about."

Izumo didn't even blink at the question. He knew that the boy cared deeply for his leader and would even risk his life for him. Misaki would always get pissed if anyone bad-mouthed the Red King, even another of HOMRA's members. Giving the statement some thought, Izumo decided that they all deserved an answer.

"He's just a little stressed over what happened at the school. Give him some time and he'll come around." The skateboarder kept on fiddling with his board. He raised his head and opened his mouth to ask another question.

"And as for the girl… I believe that he'll make the right decision, though it may take him a while." The open mouth closed as the unasked question was answered. Misaki mumbled an agreement, and then glanced at the girl. Izumo gave him a wry smirk.

"Thinking of talking to her? Unluckily for you, she's unconscious right now." The boy spluttered as his face turned red.

"Y-you!" Misaki, now recovered from his embarrassment, started shouting insults at the teasing man. There was laughter from Izumo and it fueled the insults thrown at him. The racket continued for some time as the people involved tried for a brief sense of normalcy. There was a lull in the conversation though which the sound of rolling marbles could be heard. It jerked Izumo's attention from the exchange with the younger teen.

"What is it, Anna?" he asked, becoming serious. The young girl focused on the moving rocks with undivided attention. Her eyes moved from spot to spot while her hands hovered over the encircled area.

"There are people coming." Izumo approached her, lips already moving in another a question.

"Can you tell how many?" Anna parted her lips slightly as she counted invisible objects. Then came the number.

"Three."

Izumo frowned as Misaki swore and jumped on his skateboard. The group was quiet as they awaited the arriving people. Izumo drew in a sharp, quiet breath as the door to the bar opened. All of the Red clansmen tensed in preparation for an attack. Instead of an ambush, in stepped Seri Awashima of Scepter 4 along with two other members. They glanced around upon entering, and then once the woman spotted the HOMRA bartender, started to head over. Izumo forced a friendly smile onto his face though he was feeling all but welcoming. Awashima had her men halt a few feet back from her being and addressed Izumo in a serious tone.

"Where is Suoh Mikoto?" The blond could feel the corners of his mouth lower slightly in disapproval.

"Nice to see you too. May I get you a drink?" Seri narrowed her eyes.

"Don't play around with me. Tell us the location of the Red King and we will be on our way." Her lips pulled back in the least, as though she were a wolf baring its teeth in warning before attacking. "I'm sure neither one of us wants a fight on our hands at the moment." Misaki snickered. Izumo held out a hand to hold him back before he could do anything rash.

"You are the ones who intruded upon our turf. Don't tell me you expected to walk away unscathed?" Awashima let out a breath. The two men behind her were obviously anxious, as their hands flew to the handle of their swords on the ending of the simple question.

"Is that a threat?" The woman replied calmly, giving away nothing. The man across from her shrugged as though to say 'I don't know. Figure it out yourself'. The air in the room was heavy as the opposing forces judged the other. The Blues tightened their grips on their swords and the Reds responded by allowing a bit of fire to surround them. The groups stared each other down for a few moments. The tension faded once both sides realized that what they were doing was stupid. Awashima sighed while Izumo shook his head.

"Honestly, we have as much idea where our king went as you do." The Scepter 4 lieutenant removed her hand from the weapon handle.

"I had a feeling it was as much. The reason why we came here is because the Captain wanted to know what the Red King was planning to do with the girl and if she had any other abnormal powers. The Captain believes that she may be a Strain and Strains are the duty of Scepter 4. It would only be right for us to take custody of the girl and watch over her, don't you agree?" As she spoke, the woman's gaze traveled over the girl. Concern was in her expression. Her hand reached out to brush a piece of hair that covered the girl's face. "Besides, it wouldn't do to have her wake up in a place such as this. The HQ of Scepter 4 would be much more appropriate."

"Are you saying that my bar is messy?" There was fake hurt in the voice. "How cruel. Just what would be expected from such a heartless woman." The owner of the bar chuckled. "But you do have a point, I suppose. It would be less of a shock to her system. And we have no idea what would happen if she became scared. For all we know, she could blow us to smithereens before we would have a chance to explain. At least at your base, we could manage to pass it off as a police headquarters." There was a nod from Awashima. Misaki started to protest.

"Hey! We can protect her. This is a better place for her than the Blues'! If I woke up in that building, I'd lose it! Hey, Kusanagi!" He turned to the blond. "Isn't a more laid-back place like this better for someone to wake up in? Besides, it's more secluded and out-of-the-way. If anyone tried to attack us then someone could escape with her through the back door. Someone who was fast and knew where they were going." Misaki paused. The two Blue members exchanged glances and leaned their heads together to talk. "And if we did get raided, the Blue HQ could be the next place she could be taken." Izumo smiled at the teen, impressed that he had come up with an argument on such short time and by himself.

"And I suppose this 'someone' you spoke about would be you, Yatagarasu?" The woman didn't hesitate on reading between the lines and pointing out her findings. Misaki's shoulders sagged slightly in defeat.

"Yeah."

Awashima nodded as though she had expected the answer. She turned to one of the Blue men and gestured with her hand. The man pulled out a PDA and rapidly pressed a few buttons on the device. Facing Izumo once again, a triumphant gleam shone in her eyes.

"Then we will be taking her with us. Thank you for your cooperation, HOMRA." The HOMRA members scowled as they realized that they had lost the argument. Izumo frowned deeply and Misaki cursed under his breath. The taller of the Scepter 4 males picked up the girl and gave a nod to their lieutenant. Awashima smiled and the Blues started to head to the door. Suddenly, the shrill sound of a ringtone cut through the air. They stopped their advance promptly. The leader glanced down, and then reached into her pocket for the screaming device. She pulled it out, glancing at the screen once it was in full view. Her eyes widened slightly. Holding a finger up to her lips, she signaled for everyone in the room to be quiet. Once silence fell, Awashima hit the 'talk' button and lifted the PDA to her ear.

"Hello?" There was a pause as the person on the other end spoke.

"Yes, we have the girl. . . No, she hasn't woken up. . . We were about to head back now . . . Yes, sir. . . Yes, sir . . . Understood, Captain." Awashima bit her lip after the last answer and ended the call. Her body faced them with hesitation. She opened her mouth to speak, paused, and then tried to speak again. Nothing came out. Her men looked at her quizzically. After clearing her throat, the woman nervously fingered the pocket where she had placed the PDA. Izumo made a motion with his hand to tell her to spit out whatever she was trying to say. A deep breath helped Seri stand straighter and she finally pulled herself together.

"The Captain wants us to leave the girl." Protests came from in front of her from the men and she let them speak a moment before raising a hand. They quieted down immediately. Shouting could be heard from the Reds as they celebrated their minor victory. Seri glared at them while the man holding the girl set her back down where she had laid prior to their entrance. After he had done so, she finished delivering the massage. "And he wants us to stay here until he comes." There was silence. Groans came from the Reds as they digested the new information. Seri sighed. Izumo waved a hand and spoke to the standing trio.

"You may as well sit down, then." Awashima nodded and they took a seat. Once comfortable, the three went quiet as they waited for the Blue King.

An hour later, the bell above the bar door chimed. In walked both Reisi and Suoh. They were speaking in low voices to each other, seemingly unaware of the staring eyes. The two stopped in the middle of the room and Reisi glanced at the couch. Suoh stepped forward and lead the Captain to a back room. Reisi walked inside. Before he entered, Suoh nodded at Izumo. Then, he shut the door firmly. Awashima stared at the closed door in shock. She had expected, at the very least, a sort of acknowledgment from her Captain. Instead, he had completely ignored her. Izumo spoke before she could stand.

"Relax, Tundra Woman. They will be out soon. Our King was discussing something with him that was obviously of some importance. Don't let the blood go to your head." Seri glared at him for a few seconds, and then settled back down in her seat. During the wait, numerous members of Scepter 4 and HOMRA entered the bar. It filled up quickly. Sure enough, half an hour later, the Blue and Red Kings emerged from the room. Reisi pushed up his glasses and strode over to his second-in-command.

"I apologize for not speaking to you earlier, Awashima. We had to finish the conversation as soon as we could." He said. Awashima abruptly stood up and bowed.

"T-there's no need for that, Captain! We were only worried that perhaps something had occurred." Reisi smiled at her and she colored slightly. His attention drifted over to the girl.

"So she's still not awake, is she?" The blond woman shook her head as her leader walked up to the girl. Reisi frowned, then motioned to Fushimi, who was watching Misaki with disgust. The teen stepped forward with a click of his tongue. At a command from the man, Fushimi lifted the girl up on her feet and supported her by grasping her under the arms. He gritted his teeth as he struggled to hold her up. Reisi sauntered over to the bar counter and spoke to Izumo.

"Can you get me a glass of cold water?" Izumo grinned.

"Sure. Ice or no ice?"

"No ice."

Still smiling, Izumo poured the glass and slid it across the countertop to the customer. "There you go. One glass of freezing cold water."

Reisi grabbed the cup, and in one fluid motion, flicked his wrist so that the water splashed all over Fushimi and the unconscious girl a foot away. The girl jerked awake with a loud gasp. Fushimi clicked his tongue as water soaked the front of his clothes. Suoh let out a sigh and looked over at the Blue King.

"Was that really necessary?" Reisi shrugged as though to say 'It worked, didn't it?'

With a deep breath, the girl shook her head and water droplets sprayed everywhere. Fushimi let go of her and backed away. Her hands patted her dripping hair, trying to squeeze out the water. Water trickled down her face and she shivered as cold air from an overhead vent hit her. Izumo gave her an apologetic smile then jerked his thumb at a door behind the counter.

"There are spare clothes in there if you want to change." The girl pushed the wet hair of her forehead, nodded, and giggled.

"Thanks. I never thought that I'd get woken up like that in my life." She started to head over to the door, when Awashima stepped and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Do you want me to help you find some clothes that would fit?" A smile made the brown eyes twinkle.

"Sure!" The two walked into the room and shut the door. A few minutes later, laughter could be heard through the solid oak. The men outside in the main room stopped their conversations to listen. There was more squealing and Awashima's voice could be heard.

"Are you really going to wear that?" A shriek came from the woman.

"Stop tickling me! Stop it!" The girl's voice raised in a triumphant shout as the laughter continued. Fushimi clicked his tongue.

"They're too noisy," he said then left the building. Misaki glanced at the closing door and chased after him. Anna, curious as to what was happening, ran over to the door and peeked in. She blinked, glanced back at the staring eyes, and entered the room; making sure to slam the door behind her. Suoh sighed for the second time since he had entered the bar. A good ten minutes after the small Strain's entrance, Anna and Awashima came out of the room, shoulders shaking with stifled giggles. The two females headed over to one side of the room and were welcomed back with a load of questions from the guys. Awashima just waved them off, promising that they would see soon. They went quiet as the door opened a few inches. The girl's voice could be heard coming from the room; hushed and muffled.

"Can I come out now?" Seri increased the volume of her voice to address the shy young woman.

"Certainly." A bit of amusement laced her voice.

"Alright then!" The door swung open and out stepped the redressed teenager. She confidently walked forward a few paces then stopped. Silence greeted her. Everyone except for Awashima and Anna just stared. The girl looked around and, with a wide grin and wink, pulled down the shades she was wearing slightly to the tip of her nose.

"Yo."

The single word broke the immediate shock of the crowd. They cheered and roared. Whistling was made by a few and many commented on her new fashion. Reisi, shaking his head, started to chuckle; as did the bartender. Suoh just stared, though whether it was in horror or pure shock was still to be decided.

The girl's new outfit consisted of ebony sneakers with neon green strings that shouted out loud, navy-blue jeans that went along with her dark hair and eyes, a gray tank-top that clung to her hourglass figure, and a pair of black shades that hide her eyes when she wore them. But that wasn't it. Oh no, the girl had also put on one of Suoh's prized jackets. The black fabric matched the sneakers and the fur-ringed hood was pulled up over her head. Suoh choked on the water he was drinking and started to cough. Izumo looked over at him and laughed even harder than what he had been before, causing tears to stream down his face. The Red King blinked to clear his watering eyes. Reisi turned to him and crossed his arms with an amused smirk.

"She's all yours, Suoh." The redhead groaned and let his head fall against the marble countertop. His grumble could barely be heard over the loud crowd.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

**Author's Note: Well, I hope I succeeded in brightening up your day with my attempt at humor. These characters are just so uptight, especially the Blues, and that makes it somewhat difficult. So did I succeed? Tell me in a review! **


	3. Born of Fire and Flame

**Author's Note: Thank you to all who read and review! I apologize for the wait and bring to you the third chapter! I'm not sure where I want to take this so it may be a little while before I update again so feel free to check out my other stories. Don't forget to review!**

Chapter Three- Born of Fire and Flame

The noise continued for some time. Reisi attempted to comfort the now-depressed Suoh by making jokes about the situation but gave up once he realized that nothing was even getting him to break a smile. Izumo was no help, of course, for he kept pointing out the very reason Suoh was down. Reisi attempted to shush him but ended up just abandoning both missions. A few minutes later, the door to the bar opened. Everyone grew quiet and turned to the door. Fushimi walked into the bar, his gaze focused on someone behind him. He faced front and his eyes locked on the girl. Abruptly, he stopped and stared; eyes widened and hand still on the door in a position to push it open. An angry voice shouted from behind him and Misaki pushed his way into the building. He shoved Fushimi aside and started to scold him for blocking the way. Misaki's speech trailed off once he realized that the other teen wasn't listening.

"Hey! Do you hear me? Listen to me, you damn monkey! Fushimi!" Fushimi blinked rapidly, still staring at the girl. Misaki tried to catch his attention in vain. Finally, gasping for breath after jumping and waving his hand in his partner's face, he sighed. "What are you staring at, monkey boy?" He asked, hands on his knees as he tried to get back his breath. "Don't you think it's rude to- damn. Is that who I think it is?" His original statement was broken off as the other twisted his head so that he could see the reason for Fushimi's lack of response. Misaki stared, rubbed his eyes to try to clear his vision, and then stared again. Fushimi nodded to answer his question.

"Yes . . . that's her." He said slowly, recovering from his initial shock. The shorter of the boys blinked. The girl, highly enjoying their reactions, pulled down her glasses and winked at them.

"Hello boys." Fushimi's expression to turned to one of pure horror and he grabbed Misaki's wrist in a tight grip.

"We were safer outside." He said, resisting the urge to choke. Then, he dragged a shouting Yata out of the bar and slammed the doors shut. The girl burst out into laughter.

"That was the best result ever!" The shout carried across the room. "I never thought that it would turn out that way but I'm so glad that it did." She dragged out the word 'so' and added a roll of her eyes. Awashima chuckled.

"Poor Fushimi is going to be scarred forever." "Nu-uh!" Protested the girl. "I bet they're just dying to come back!" The woman smiled.

"If you say so." There was a vigorous nod from the girl as she continued to snicker. The members of Scepter 4 exchanged amused glances as they recounted the tale. Some looked to be a little angry at the girl for her actions, while others struggled to hide wide grins. But one thing was for sure; to see Fushimi so unnerved was uncommon and there would be at least one person to tease him for it. Chances were it was going to be either Awashima or the Captain himself. And as for Misaki, the HOMRA group was already whispering among themselves, preparing some sort of joke. Reisi turned to Suoh and placed his hand on the other's shoulder.

"Shall I start?" He asked, speaking in a low voice so that only the Red King could hear him. Izumo glanced at the Scepter 4 Captain with a confused look. Suoh raised his head and nodded. The man watched for a second then stood. When he rose, silence blanketed the room. Everyone turned in the direction of the King. Even the girl halted in her mockery of the boys. She blinked and stepped forward at a gesture from Reisi. Nervousness flashed across her face but she took a shuddering breath and fought it off. Her head rose to meet the dark blue eyes.

"What is your name?" The first question was a fairly easy one and the interrogated had no problem answering it.

"Yuki Yamato." There was a loud thump as the chair Suoh had been sitting in bumped against the bar. Izumo glared at him, warning him that it was against his rules to injure the bar in any way. Suoh ignored him, instead shifting his weight on the stool. The redhead settled for crossing his legs and arms. His yellow-eyed gaze watched the girl with an unblinking stare. Yuki, now self-conscious, pulled at the hood of the fur coat so that it blocked him from meeting her eyes.

"Have you ever had any unusual medical problems?" Yuki shook her head. The questioning continued. "Ever have any supernatural abilities, such as-"

"Supernatural abilities?" Yuki repeated. "Like Superman and such?" Reisi nodded slightly. The young woman paused as she thought. "No, I don't think so."

"Just thinking is not enough. We need you to be sure." The voice sounded slimly stressed. Yuki frowned at him.

"No, I've never been able to fly or sprout extra limbs. I've been as normal as I can be my whole life." The interrogator furrowed his brows.

"Then what do you make of earlier?" There was a confused look from the girl.

"Earlier? What happened then?" she asked, brushing hair from her forehead. Reisi stood up straighter.

"You mean you don't remember?" Yuki, fiddling with the jacket zipper, avoided his gaze.

"No." There was a hesitant pause as Reisi digested the new information.

"I see." The simple words caused Yuki to jerk up and look at him. He smiled at her; a slight blush spread across her face. She mumbled something incoherent as a reply, still pulling at the zipper. Suoh picked up the glass he had nearly choked on earlier and took a sip. A thoughtful expression came over him. At last, the silence got to Yuki.

"Okay, okay! I do remember but I thought it was all a dream. I didn't want to say anything because I was hoping you would just let me go. I mean," she halted in her confession. Her eyes darted around the quiet room. "I had no idea what you would do to me if I did. I assumed you would say something or call the cops, saying that I was crazy. I-I just wanted it all to be over. We were all so afraid when you all came to our school. And when the building fell. . ." Tears started to well up in her eyes. "I was so scared." She finished with a whisper. Her arms wrapped around her body and she shuddered. Awashima stepped forward to pat her on the shoulder. Sniffles came from the girl as she blinked away the tears. After steeling herself, Yuki started to talk again.

"But I wasn't myself when I did what I did. In fact, I shouldn't have interfered. It wasn't right." A bit of anger colored her voice. "The only reason I did was because I wanted to make sure you weren't going to die. There's something you need to pay for before I let you leave this world." The brunette turned to glare at Suoh. The Red King met her glower with his own. Yuki stared at him with a fierce look before her eyes widened. In those yellow depths she saw her past.

_Screaming. Endless shouts of pain and agony surrounded her as she took off running. At a dead run, she shouted out familiar names but only heard the roar of fire answer her. Crying, tears streaming down her five year-old face, burning pieces of blackened timber threatened to fall on her. She let out a whimper when dying embers scorched the sensitive bottoms of her feet. At last, the young Yuki reached a doorway. Fresh air rushed into her burnt lungs as she gasped, but she refused to stop scurrying away from the destruction of her home. It was there that she saw the outline of a person against the orange and red flames. She shouted out for him to run, that it was dangerous and he was going to die if he didn't get away, when the boy glanced over his shoulder. The cry died in her throat when she saw his eyes. Crimson, just like the blaze that encircled her. _

"You killed my family. I won't let you get away with it." Yuki hissed quietly. "It was in the middle of the night and you came. What did we ever do to you? We were nothing more than a poor family struggling to survive. But that wasn't enough. You just had to come and murder my parents. My brother as well; he was three! Only three! And yet you left nothing. No blood, no bone, no ash. That's your motto, isn't it?" The teen stepped forward, brown eyes flashing in heated fury. "I've heard about your gang. Bloodthirsty and vicious, even the police fear the lot of you all. Monsters like you shouldn't exist. You do naught but bring destruction to the world!" Suoh narrowed his eyes in anger.

"You accuse me of killing your family?" The growl cut through the room like a knife would through air. "We heard of a drug dealer's hideout at the location and went to get rid of it."

"Just like you 'got rid' of my home?" The sharp accusation sliced through his explanation.

"The police told us that it was abandoned. According to them, no one inhabited the house. And to us, it looked pretty empty. I'd say that you're just making this up to get back at the fact that your house burnt down." Yuki recoiled as though she'd been struck.

"Make this up? Why would I make up a story about my own family dying? Only a sick person would do that!" Both of them were breathing heavily from shouting at each other, Yuki more so than the King. Reisi took a step forward to separate the two.

"Both of you need to calm down. Suoh, you should know better. And Yuki, losing yourself is unprofessional. You should remain calm when talking about these kinds of things." Yuki switched her glare to the Blue King. Reisi's hand gripped her shoulder to where Awashima had earlier, preventing her from moving forward. Yuki let out a snarl.

"Get off of me." She jerked her arm away, nearly stumbling when he let her go. Yuki caught herself by reaching out with her hand and pressing against something sturdy. When she realized what that thing was, she jumped back. Suoh observed her with a vicious glare, brushing off the place where her hand had touched. Yuki's face reddened across her cheeks. With a last look at Reisi, she headed to the door, only to almost run into Fushimi. He had been entering the bar with Misaki. With a furious Yuki storming towards them, they decided to jump out of the way of the oncoming storm.

"Out of my way!" Yuki shoved them aside, practically slamming them into the wall. With a loud 'slam', the doors to the bar banged shut. Both of the teens glanced back at their Kings with quizzical looks.

"Don't ask." Suoh snapped, spinning back around to down the water in the glass before him. Reisi sighed in defeat.

"They had a disagreement, is all." He offered as an explanation to the puzzled duo. Fushimi smirked at Misaki. The shorter rubbed the back of his neck, glancing back at the shut doors with a look of disappointment. The Captain of Scepter 4, noticing that it was better if he left the situation alone instead of scolding the hot-headed man for his actions, decided to change the subject.

"I never expected you to get along quite so well with her, Awashima. Would you care to elaborate?" The Captain asked his lieutenant, causing her to color slightly. The blonde gave a nervous smile and a brief justification.

"When I was younger, I always use to beg my parents for a sister." She said, drifting back to pastimes. Reisi laughed.

"And did you get one?" Awashima blushed, shaking her head.

"No."

There were a few chuckles from the members of Scepter 4 that enclosed the two as they began to murmur among themselves, telling tales of little siblings and what they did. The HOMRA members started to talk as well, a few even daring to associate with the Blues. Reisi leaned back, his back resting on the marble countertop. Suoh continued to ignore the people around him; still peeved at the argument he had been a part of. Izumo started to pour various drinks as he received orders. Soon enough, the occupants of the bar were settled down, enjoying themselves once the tension had faded. Everyone except for the Red King were either talking or drinking, including the Blue King himself. They were all eager to relax after the stressful day. Eventually, the redhead got up and left the room, seeking to be alone and away from the noise. Once he entered the hallway that led to his room, a sigh escaped his lips. He had never been one for large crowds, and chances were, he never would be. A flash of regret came over him. The leader of HOMRA knew that he should've stopped the girl from taking off like she did, for he knew that being alone when you were so upset only led to problems. Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought. It was her own fault for leaving; if she came back it was her own choice. Although, he did want his jacket back, he admitted to no one in particular. The door to his room swung open on its hinges with a groan. He went into the bedroom and closed the door. He slid off his jacket, let it fall to the floor, and collapsed face down on the bed. Within moments, Suoh's mind drifted off and he was asleep.

-On the Other Side of the City-

Yuki dashed through the streets, rejecting the urge to slow down. All she focused on was the sound of her sneakers on the pavement. She didn't need to think; thinking would only get her in trouble. Her breath came out in small, white puffs. It was chilly outside and was getting dark, but she didn't care. The only thing she cared about was getting away from the person who had murdered the people she loved. Sobs wracked her body and Yuki struggled to keep running. A building appeared in front of her, the familiar brick giving her relief. Panting and out of breath, she noticed the sign.

**Closed Until Completion of Construction **

"You're joking." Yuki gasped, realizing that she'd run all this way for nothing. She cursed out loudly, not caring if anyone heard her. The school had been her only sanctuary, offering comfort when nothing else did. And now it was gone. Breathing deeply, she let out the air in her lungs harshly. Cold was starting to seep into her bones since she was no longer running. The rumble of thunder caught her attention. Without warning, it began to rain. Yuki hugged her body, seeking shelter in the pouring rain. She came upon a bus stop and jogged underneath the canopy. A few minutes later, she was shivering from the cold.

"G-guess I can't st-stay out h-here without f-freezing to d-death." She managed to get out through chattering teeth. Glancing up at the darkening sky covered by even darker clouds, she decided to make a run for it. Twenty minutes later, she arrived back upon the street that the bar was located on. The rebellious side of her wanted to turn back around and head someplace else, but where? She had no home; it had been lost to her twelve years ago. After the fire, an elderly lady had taken her in but once Yuki reached the age of ten, she had passed away. Since then, Yuki lived on her own in various abandoned homes because she didn't have the money to afford an apartment. At last, the principal of the school gave her a room at the high school. In exchange, she was to attend classes and help out with cleaning. During the summer, she stayed and helped the staff prepare for the following year. It worked out for her well. While having a place to stay, she was also being educated. But throughout the years, never once did Yuki forget what had happened to make her that way.

She still thirsted for revenge.

**Author's Note: So now Yuki is finally revealed! I gave a brief explanation of her past and the reason why she saved Mikoto. How many of you predicted that? In short, she just wanted to get revenge on him for the murder of her family I you didn't understand. A new question is hanging; is Yuki brave enough and strong enough to avenge her parents and dear little brother? All to come in the next chapter! **


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